1938 John Deere Model D Tractor

Engine: Horizontal, 2-cylinder, liquid-cooled
Fuel Type: Gasoline, kerosene or distillate
Displacement: 8.2 L (501 ci)
Bore and Stroke: 171 x 178 mm (6.75 x 7 in)
Power: Drawbar - 11.2 kW (15 hp); Brake - 20.1 kW (27 hp)
Transmission: 3-forward, 1-reverse
Weight: 2300 kg (5,070.6 lb)
Original Cost: C $1,202 (estimate)

The Model D was the first tractor to be marketed under the John Deere name, replacing the Waterloo Boy in 1923. It was produced between 1923 and 1953 (unstyled 1923-1939, styled 1939-1953) without any major changes, giving it the longest production span of any John Deere tractor. The Model D's popularity was largely due to its simplicity, affordability, and reliability.

Deere & Company was founded by John Deere in Rutland, Vermont, in 1804 and later moved to Grand Detour, Illinois, where they opened a blacksmith shop in 1837. In 1912, Deere & Company began experimenting with tractor designs. They produced their first tractor, the Waterloo Boy – named for its factory at Waterloo, Iowa – in 1918 and continued to sell tractors under the Waterloo name until the introduction of the John Deere Model D in 1923.

The Model D was built between 1923 and 1953 without any major changes, giving it the longest production span of any John Deere tractor. Its popularity was due to its simplicity and economy as well as its reliability.

Chronology:
1804 - John Deere founds Deere & Company in Rutland, Vermont.
1837 - Deere & Company opens a blacksmith shop in Grand Detour, Illinois.
1912 - Deere & Company begins experimenting with tractor designs.
1918 - Their first tractor, the Waterloo Boy, is introduced.
1923 - The Model D is introduced.
1938 - This Model D is manufactured in Waterloo, Iowa.
1995 - This Model D is added to the Reynolds-Alberta Museum Collection.